Nelson snuff box
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1805
This container held snuff, a form of powdered tobacco, which was pinched between the fingers and inhaled. Snuff-taking was popular in Britain from the late 17th century with both men and women.
These small portable boxes were carried everywhere and freely used. Larger containers would be passed around the table after dinner. Early snuff boxes contained a grater to grate the blocks of compressed powdered snuff and spices, such as cloves and cinnamon, imported from the West Indies. By 1730 ready-grated snuff had dispensed with the need for a grater, but compartments were sometimes retained in order to carry two or more sorts of snuff.
Military and naval heroes were commemorated on snuff boxes from the mid 18th century. This snuff box was one of the earliest examples of the growing market for souvenirs of Admiral Lord Nelson. Circular snuff boxes, like this one, came into fashion towards the end of the 18th century.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Dimensions
- Height 2.6 cm; Diameter 7.5 cm
- Materials and techniques
- Stamped brass
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- England
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O78488
- Museum object number
- M.221-1939
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked single-object source. Wider type attribution and authenticity have not been independently verified.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type and source attribution against specialist references.